Roundabout
Above: Roundabout brings back live-action cutscenes, whether you wanted them or not.
Developer/Publisher: No Goblin
Platforms: PC
Release Date: September 18, 2014
The days of FMV video are not the ones gamers scream the most for revival. But No Goblin effectively recreated that live-action cutscene cheese with Roundabout. But that’s in-between the bits where you pilot a constantly revolving limousine through obstacle courses like a schoolyard or suburban street. It’s a simple idea taken to its logical extreme, taking place within an open-world filled with collectibles and full upgrade tiers for your limo’s appearance and horn.
The live-action cutscenes are what Roundabout will be known for, with your silent limo driver protagonist looking back as a cast of idiots and cliches fill their backseat. It is certainly not to everyone’s taste in humor, but for those with a hankering for days deservedly gone by, you aren’t going to get a better wayback machine outside of a used Sega CD.
Fenix Rage
Above: Fenix Rage scratched that ultra-hard platformer itch like no other in 2014.
Developer: Green Lava Studios
Publisher: Reverb Triple XP
Platforms: PC
Release Date: September 24, 2014
The uber-difficult platformer itch just hasn’t been scratched enough. It felt like an eternity after we saw Super Meat Boy and Dustforce before Fenix Rage came along. But thankfully the little spiky spit-fire brought with him a slick mid-air dash and a host of levels desperate to watch him (and you) die. Piloting him through spiked walls, dissolving ice cubes, and all matter of death traps brought back that sweet feeling of tension in the knuckles almost immediately.
The tiny dude has the attitude of the Sega Genesis-era Sonic the Hedgehog and a (thankfully) faster-than-a-blink respawn time. Some levels came down a bit unfair in terms of layout, but 9,999 times out of 10,000, you could see the exact point you failed. It was usually right before you exploded. You’d have a hard time finding a stronger “one more try” experience this year.
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter
Above: Visual beauty was only part of The Vanishing of Ethan Carter’s charm.
Developer/Publisher: The Astronauts
Platforms: PC
Release Date: September 26, 2014
Solving murder mysteries with paranormal abilities is a surprisingly common trope in adventure games. Hell, I helped make two such games in my last day job. What separates the Vanishing of Ethan Carter from the chaff is its sense of atmosphere. Beyond taking place in a beautiful locations, the story of detective Paul Prospero uncovering the secrets surrounding the disappearance of his titular fan is one of unnerving discovery. One told largely through found letters and supernatural sightings of horrible events.
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a slow burn. It gives off a small burst of momentum in the form of a particularly lengthy internal monologue whether you are solving puzzles at a crime scene or taking the sights. The ultimate narrative destination was not as important as the steps taken to get there. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is a stand-out example of how video games can, in fact, survive at a more measured pace.
This War of Mine
Above: Your home base: the ruined, multi-level building where your survivors spend their days.
Developer/Publisher: 11 Bit Studios
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
Release Date: November 14, 2014
Gamers are probably more used to playing around in war than just about anything else. We have played through almost every major, Euro-centric event of the last century, usually as a bullet-absorbing super-soldier on the most newspaper-worthy front lines. No surprise, then, that the somber, civilian side of wartime explored in This War of Mine came as a refreshing change to many players.
Your characters are under-skilled and often sick survivors in dire need of basic supplies. At night you can scavenge for as many core materials as you can carry. Your days are spent cooped up in a dilapidated housing structure, avoiding hostile sniper fire and building the things you need to live. It’s unpleasant, emotionally taxing, and often tedious — the side of war not attractive enough to sell to the masses.
Time will tell if This War of Mine could become the latest in the line of depressing-but-interesting game experiences, in the vain of Cart Life or Papers, Please. For now, it acts as an interactive reminder that war isn’t always about kill streaks and nationalism.
Never Alone
Above: Never Alone was an experience you literally couldn’t get anywhere else this year.
Developer: Upper One Games/E-Line Media
Publisher: E-Line Media
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Release Date: November 18, 2014
The voice of indigenous people is not one heard in any entertainment medium, video games or no. So the announcement of Never Alone, a puzzle-adventure game starring a young Iñupiaq girl and her arctic fox, was a noteworthy event in and of itself. The fact that it plays well was almost secondary to it providing the opportunity to hear the thoughts of one of the most overlooked demographics in the world.
The game’s eight chapters play out as interactive folk stories, with each puzzle feeding into a larger tale throughout its chapter. Players can swap between the swift fox and the young girl, picking up objects and opening up new areas with the latter, all while learning the tale of those that tried to stop an ever-lasting blizzard. Never Alone was a unique event to video games — proof that a cultural history lesson need not be boring.